Efficient removal of europium from aqueous solutions using attapulgite-iron oxide magnetic composites

The attapulgite-iron oxide magnetic composites were synthesized by coprecipitation of iron oxides on attapulgite particles, and characterized by FTIR and XRD. The composites had the saturation magnetization value of 32.7 emu/g, which made the composites separate from aqueous solution easily using the magnetic separation method in large scale. The composites could preconcentrate Eu(III) efficiently from aqueous solutions. The sorption of Eu(III) on the composites was affected by pH and ionic strength obviously. The sorption isotherms were well simulated by Langmuir model, and the maximum sorption capacity was calculated to be 4.94 x 10(-4) mol/g at pH 5.0, which was much higher other materials. (C) 2015 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.